PASSIVE CURRENT SENSOR WITH SIMPLIFIED GEOMETRY
A passive current sensor includes a pair of electrically conductive busbars, a shunt resistor electrically connecting the busbars, and a carrier having a first pair of voltage drop measuring contacts. At least one of the voltage drop measuring contacts is attached to each of the busbars and forms a direct electrical contact between the at least one voltage drop measuring contact and the busbar.
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This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) of German Patent Application No. 102019203498.5, filed on Mar. 14, 2019.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a current sensor and, more particularly, to a passive current sensor.
BACKGROUNDPassive current sensors are used to measure a voltage drop at a shunt resistor. These current sensors are used, for example, in automotive engineering in the area of electrically powered vehicles. In these vehicles, such a passive current sensor is used to measure the flowing current, i.e. a current intensity. The shunt resistor is inserted between two electrically conductive busbars. The shunt resistor has a very low resistance value, which is, however, sufficiently high to be able to measure a voltage drop on both sides of the shunt resistor. Usually the resistance value of a shunt resistor is in the range of a few tens of microohms.
The busbars interconnected by the shunt resistor are contacted by contacts of a printed circuit board (PCB) soldered to the busbars. On such a PCB there are corresponding conductor tracks and connections to which plug-in contacts can be soldered for tapping the measured voltage signals (the voltage drop at the shunt resistor). The electrical plug contacts are connected indirectly via the PCB by soldering to the busbar or busbars. Such a soldered connection is not high-strength and has little resistance to aging and, furthermore, due to the PCB, a quality of the soldered connection cannot be easily tested.
SUMMARYA passive current sensor includes a pair of electrically conductive busbars, a shunt resistor electrically connecting the busbars, and a carrier having a first pair of voltage drop measuring contacts. At least one of the voltage drop measuring contacts is attached to each of the busbars and forms a direct electrical contact between the at least one voltage drop measuring contact and the busbar.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying Figures, of which:
In the following, the invention is explained in more detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. Identical technical features and technical features with the same function are given the same reference signs. Repeated descriptions are avoided as far as possible and differences are especially emphasized. The embodiments shown in the figures are purely exemplary and are not intended to restrict the present invention to the embodiments shown. The technical features of individual embodiments can be combined with each other in any combination and can also be omitted in special embodiments, provided that the technical effect achieved with the omitted technical feature is not important in a particular embodiment.
A passive current sensor 1 according to an embodiment is shown in a preassembly position 3 in
For the sake of clarity,
The contact pins 13 are provided in pairs, as shown in
Each of the voltage drop measuring contacts 23 is connected to the busbar 5 at at least one connecting section 25 of the corresponding voltage drop measuring contact 23. A connection 27 at the connecting section 25 is a direct electrical and mechanical connection 29, i.e., the voltage drop measuring contacts 23 are fastened directly and immediately to the corresponding busbar 5 without an interposed element. This is achieved, for example, by a solder or welded connection 31, such as a cold solder joint. Alternatively, the connection 27 can be integrally bonded, frictionally engaged, or any type of electrical or mechanical connection.
The connecting section 25 can be aligned in a defined manner pointing away from the voltage drop measuring contact 23 in the direction of the busbar 5. If the voltage drop measuring contact 23 is a punched part, such a connecting section 25 can be produced by bending a section of the voltage drop measuring contact 23. The connecting section 25 can be located at a free end of the voltage drop measuring contact 23 or in a central area. In the latter case, the voltage drop measuring contact 23 thus has a bulge deflected convexly in the direction of the busbar 5. Such a connecting section 25 can be formed by a welding spot accessible from outside the housing 11. The temperature measuring contact 21 can form a temperature contacting section which can alternatively or additionally have at least one welding spot.
A voltage potential present applied at the voltage drop measuring contacts 23 can be tapped on both sides of the shunt resistor 7, and a voltage difference between the voltage drop measuring contacts 23 can be determined. The voltage tapped on both sides of the shunt resistor 7 is present at every point on the corresponding busbar 5. In a circuit diagram, a dropping voltage across this resistor 7 is tapped by the voltage drop measuring contacts 23 parallel to the shunt resistor 7 and made available via the ohmic law for further processing for determining the current flowing through the resistor 7. It is made available via the contact pins 13 which are received in the housing 11. The contact pins 13 are attached to the busbar 5 in the vicinity of the shunt resistor 7 because the voltage drop that occurs at the shunt resistor 7 is the desired measured variable to be tapped.
Apart from the connecting sections 25, the elements of the voltage drop measuring contacts 23 can particularly be arranged in a plane which is arranged parallel to the busbar 5 in an embodiment. This distance can be ensured by the carrier or in a further embodiment by a housing which keeps the received voltage drop measuring contacts 23 at precisely this distance from the busbars 5. Only the connecting sections 25 can extend exactly by this distance in the direction of and mechanically contact the busbar 5. The connecting sections 25 can thus already contact the busbars 5 before the connecting sections 25 are directly electrically and mechanically fastened to the busbars 5. The connecting section 25 can be produced in a simple manner by bending or punching during the course of the punching process for producing the punched grid.
The two pairs 19 of voltage drop measuring contacts 23 can be provided for reasons of redundancy. The voltage drop determined via a first pair of contact pins 13 can thus be checked and/or validated. A defect in the connection to the busbars 5 or in the contact pin 13 can thus be detected. In such case, the pairs 19 can be distinguishable or indistinguishable.
Furthermore, one or more connecting struts 17, which are located between the voltage drop measuring contacts 23 of one of the busbars 5, can be retained. Connecting struts 17, which connect voltage drop measuring contacts fastened to different busbars 5, are, in accordance with the method according to the invention, to be severed before the passive current sensor 1 is used. The same applies to connecting struts 17 which are present between the temperature measuring contacts 21 or between a temperature measuring contact 21 and a voltage drop measuring contact 23.
The temperature measuring contacts 21 can be assigned to the shunt resistor 7 and can be positioned closer to the shunt resistor 7 than to the busbars 5. An insulating material bridge can be provided between the shunt resistor 7 and the temperature measuring contact 21, which, for example, comprises air. The temperature sensor 35 is electrically connected to the temperature measuring contacts 21 and positioned in the vicinity of the shunt resistor 7. Neither the temperature measuring contacts 21 nor the temperature sensor 35 itself are allowed to be in electrical contact with the busbars 5 or the shunt resistor 7. The temperature measuring contacts 21 are spaced apart from the busbars 5 and the shunt resistor 7 or provided with an electrical insulator.
The busbars 5 can be referred to as the first busbar 5a and as the second busbar 5b, shown in
In an embodiment, the busbars 5 are flat, elongated cuboids which have a thickness that is less than their width and also have a width that is less than their length. The cross-section of the busbars 5 is rectangular in an embodiment. For a low-loss power line, the busbars 5 are frequently made of a material with high electrical conductivity, such as metal. For example and nonrestrictively, the busbar 5 can be made of copper.
The housing 11 of the embodiment of the passive current sensor 1 shown in
The temperature sensor 35 is arranged at a distance from the busbars 5 which are at a certain voltage level, and which prevents electrical crosstalk. In particular, the distance is greater than the creepage distance. Furthermore, an electrically insulating material, for example, in the form of an air gap, a film, or a liquid, can be provided between the busbars 5 and the temperature sensor 35 and the temperature measuring contacts 21. An insulating material which has a higher thermal conductivity than air is used in an embodiment, which ensures that the temperature is effectively transferred from the shunt resistor 7 to the temperature sensor 35, wherein adequate insulation and thus protection against electrical crosstalk and/or a falsified measurement is still provided.
The housing 11 of the passive current sensor 1 shown in
The housing 11 further comprises an access protection 39 shown in
The connection 27 of the temperature sensor 35 to temperature contacting sections 45 is also covered by the access protection 39. The temperature contacting sections 45 differ from the connecting sections 25 of the voltage drop measuring contacts 23, in that they are electrically insulated from the busbars 5 and the shunt resistor 7. A direct electrical and mechanical connection 29 can also be provided at the temperature contacting sections 45, but in this case between the temperature sensor 35 and the associated temperature contacting section 45 of the corresponding temperature measuring contact 21.
The cover element 41 of the embodiment shown is connected to a remaining part of the housing 11 by a connecting element 49 configured as a film hinge 47, as shown in
In the embodiment shown in
The punched grid 15 of
The bending area 65 can be produced after the contact pins 13, i.e., for example, the voltage drop measuring contacts 23 and the temperature measuring contacts 21, have been punched out. The entire punched grid is bent in an embodiment. In this case, the busbar contacting area 67 can be aligned essentially parallel to the busbar 5 and, in an embodiment, the busbar contacting area 67 and the plug connection area can enclose an angle of approximately or exactly 90°. The connecting sections 25 can thus be arranged in the busbar contacting area 67, wherein pin-shaped free ends of the voltage drop measuring contacts 23 and/or the temperature measuring contacts 21 can be arranged in the plug connection area. 69 The busbar contacting area 67 and the plug connection area 69 can be at any angle to one another. The bending area 65 can be understood as the knee of the respective contact pins 13 located in this area.
The passive current sensor 1 according to the invention can have punched grids 15 of different designs; three further possible embodiments are shown in
In the embodiments of the punched grid 15 of
In
The blind pins 73 can be provided for mechanically immobilizing the position of the housing 11, the blind pins 73 are mechanically connected to a busbar 5 and to the carrier 11. For a mechanical connection of the blind pin 73 to the busbar 5, they are attached, for example, welded, to the busbars 5. In another embodiment, the blind pins 73 engage in boreholes which are configured in the busbars 5 and are held in the boreholes by a frictional connection or a catch mechanism. The contacting or positional immobilizing by a connection to the housing 11 can take place, for example, in the form of a plug contact or a snap-in element. Thus, the voltage drop measuring contacts 23 and/or the temperature measuring contacts 21 as well as the blind pins 73 are received in the housing 11 or securely fastened in or on the housing 11. The housing 11 is then positioned at and fastened to at least one busbar 5, and in the subsequent step, the contact pins 13 provided in the corresponding embodiment, i.e., the voltage drop measuring contacts 23, the temperature measuring contacts 21, or the blind pins 73, are fastened to the busbar 5. According to the invention, this takes place directly, i.e., without a further interposed element.
A passive current sensor 1 according to another embodiment is shown in
The assembly of the passive current sensor 1 is shown in
First, as shown in
A temperature sensor 35 designed as an SMD temperature sensor 77 is subsequently attached with the temperature measuring contacts 21 to the temperature contacting section 45 via the access recess 43, as shown in
The shunt element 63 is then inserted laterally into the receiving link 37 of the housing 11 until the temperature sensor 35 is located above the shunt resistor 7, as shown in
The depicted housing 11 has an undercut element 85 which completely encloses a busbar 5 to be received, as shown in
In a further method step in
When installing the shunt element 63, it is possible that its front edge strikes the very sensitive voltage drop measuring contacts 23. For this purpose, as shown in
The passive current sensor 1 according to the invention can also have a further embodiment of the access protection 39, shown in
In the passive current sensor 1 and assembly 61, no PCB is necessary; the contact pins 13 are directly connected to the busbars 5. Due to the direct contacting and electrical connection 29 of the contact pins 13 to the busbars 5, a welding process is possible, wherein welded connections can generally have a lower error rate. Furthermore, due to the PCB, which is no longer required, a component is saved, and instead of two connections, i.e., from the contact pin 13 to the PCB and from the PCB to the busbar 5, only a single electrical and mechanical connection 29 is required for connecting a contact pin 13. The current sensor 1 thus has a simpler structure than the solutions from the prior art, is more cost-effective, and can increase the service life of the passive current sensor 1 due to the more durable connection.
Claims
1. A passive current sensor, comprising:
- a pair of electrically conductive busbars;
- a shunt resistor electrically connecting the busbars; and
- a carrier having a first pair of voltage drop measuring contacts, at least one of the voltage drop measuring contacts is attached to each of the busbars and forms a direct electrical contact between the at least one voltage drop measuring contact and the busbar.
2. The passive current sensor of claim 1, further comprising a second pair of voltage drop measuring contacts, one of the second pair of voltage drop measuring contacts is directly electrically and mechanically connected to a first busbar of the busbars and another of the second pair of voltage drop measuring contacts is directly electrically and mechanically connected to a second busbar of the busbars.
3. The passive current sensor of claim 1, wherein the carrier has a receiving link into which the busbars and the shunt resistor are inserted.
4. The passive current sensor of claim 3, wherein one of the busbars has a notch in which the carrier engages.
5. The passive current sensor of claim 1, further comprising a pair of temperature measuring contacts, each of the temperature measuring contacts is electrically insulated from the busbars and the shunt resistor.
6. The passive current sensor of claim 5, further comprising a temperature sensor electrically connected to the temperature measuring contacts and positioned near the shunt resistor.
7. The passive current sensor of claim 1, wherein the voltage drop measuring contacts are each directly electrically and mechanically connected to the busbars at a connecting section.
8. The passive current sensor of claim 1, wherein the voltage drop measuring contacts each have a bending area connecting a busbar contacting area of the voltage drop measuring contacts with a plug connecting area of the voltage drop measuring contacts.
9. The passive current sensor of claim 1, wherein the voltage drop measuring contacts are each held and/or secured in a pin-receiving opening of the carrier.
10. The passive current sensor of claim 1, further comprising a blind pin mechanically fixing a position of the carrier, the blind pin connected to at least one of the busbars and to the carrier.
11. The passive current sensor of claim 1, wherein the carrier is connected to at least one of the busbars by an undercut element and/or a snap-in element.
12. The passive current sensor of claim 7, wherein the connecting section of each of the voltage drop measuring contacts is accessible via an access recess of the carrier.
13. The passive current sensor of claim 6, wherein an electrical temperature contacting section of the temperature measuring contacts and/or the temperature sensor is accessible via an access recess of the carrier.
14. The passive current sensor of claim 13, wherein the carrier has an access protection designed to close at least sections of the access recess.
15. An assembly for a passive current sensor, comprising:
- providing a carrier, a pair of voltage drop measuring contacts, and a pair of temperature measuring contacts;
- inserting the pair of voltage drop measuring contacts and the pair of temperature measuring contacts into a plurality of pin receiving openings of the carrier; and
- electrically and mechanically connecting a temperature sensor to the temperature measuring contacts.
16. The assembly of claim 15, further comprising a shunt element having a pair of electrically conductive busbars and a shunt resistor electrically connecting the busbars.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 13, 2020
Publication Date: Sep 17, 2020
Patent Grant number: 11169185
Applicant: TE Connectivity Germany GmbH (Bensheim)
Inventors: Christoph Kraemer (Mannheim), Gerhard Riedl (Stutensee-Friedrichsthal), Thimo Paulus (Mannheim), Sven Faas (Karlsruhe), Michael Pichler (Neuburg)
Application Number: 16/818,549